Like a Damn Winter

My search for the essential Hawker continues. Although I wanted to be thought of as a spider, it is possible that we are butterflies. However, the Guardian reported that we are dragonflies and in danger of extinction. http://colinhawker.blogspot.com/2010/03/hawker-in-danger-of-extinction.html

I have been assisted in my search for personal identity by Max Küng, writer of a column in “Das Magazin”, in the Saturday Edition of the Tages Anzeiger. He comments that “The winter, this year, has been like a damn hawker, whom one sends to the devil, but simply won’t go away”. http://dasmagazin.ch/index.php/max-kung-53/ (The Google translator comes up with „damn peddler“. See the start of the 5th Paragraph).

My initial reaction was one of outrage. My emotions were similar to those I experienced, as a young man, on seeing myself unwanted in so many places. “No Hawker or Circulars” was a common warning to my kith and kin to stay away.

For Max Küng’s comments, I would write to my Swiss MP, a draft letter of protest to the Tages Anzeiger, instruct lawyers, organise a demonstration outside the offices of this newspaper and start a movement to promote “Hawkers are like the Spring”.

However, on more mature reflection (and dragonflies are not known for mature reflection), it is possible that Max Küng has shed a new light on the characteristics on Hawkers. It reminded me of an answer that I gave once at an interview, when asked what thought my defining characteristic is. “Stubbornness” was the immediate response. Certainly persistent. Probably also very irritating and annoying.

I should have added “Like a damn winter. You try to send it to the devil, but it simply won’t go away”.

I feel a new motto coming one.

Haud Civitas Sententia

Lucy Kellaway writes a weekly column in the Financial Times. With wit and insight as her main weapons, she challenges and mocks much of what is accepted as corporate wisdom. This Monday’s article was in praise of Latin mottos. You should to read it to understand the relevance of this.

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/4a849ce4-128f-11df-a611-00144feab49a.html?ftcamp=rss

Inspired by this, I went in search of my own Latin motto. Not sure where to start, I looked at my own blogs to see if there were some discernible themes to draw on.

There are some personal news items. Not much mileage here. There are some speculations about subjects on which there is no general interest, such as the neglect of Prime Numbers, whether the 3rd wise man was actually a shepherd collected on the way, and the merits of reading books backwards. Possibly something here.

There are some observations about everyday life. And there are opinions, dressed up as questions. You will recognise this as a coward’s way of making a statement while being able to deny any particular meaning, the blog equivalent of a deniable Cabinet Meeting leak.

I am beginning to see a pattern here. “No stated opinions”, seems to be a theme, which according to one online translator is “Haud Civitas Sententia”. This sounds sufficiently grand for the purpose.

All I need now is a coat of arms to go with it. All contributions welcome.

Reading Technical books in German

You would think that speaking, listening or reading German generally means that you express yourself less clearly and understand and learn less. And generally, you would be correct. However, I have discovered that when reading technical books or books where I should pay attention, I retain more. When I read "Plan your Retirement Properly" in German, reading slowly, the key points stuck. This may have more to do with the poor quality of my reading and retention in English. Also, the subject had more personal relevance than (for example) the dates of the Kings and Queens of England.

If you want to complemplate Psalm 119, then you can do worse that to do it in German. Don't you agree that "Your promises give me new courage. They comfort me in all my troubles" is so much richer when written as "Dein Versprochen schenkt mir neuen Lebensmut. Er tröstet mich in allem Kummer".

Perhaps we'll stick to English except for the techncial books, after all.